From Immigrant Dreams to Transformative Smiles

How One Woman’s Pursuit of Excellence and Advocacy is Redefining Dentistry and Inspiring Generations

Dr. Amira Ogunleye was born in Egypt and immigrated to the United States with her father, who was a single parent raising his three young children. Her early years in America were marked by poverty, as she watched her father work multiple jobs to provide for his family. Despite these challenges, her father valued education and instilled in Dr. Ogunleye a strong work ethic and the belief in the opportunities that education could offer. This foundation led her to become the youngest graduate of Howard University’s College of Dentistry at the precocious age of 23. Dr. Ogunleye co-owns a dental practice, Beautiful Smiles, in South Florida with her sister. She quickly gained recognition as a premier celebrity dentist, serving Hollywood actresses, professional singers, and athletes from the NFL and NBA, including LeBron James, Lil Wayne, Dwyane Wade, Amare’ Stoudemire, Gabrielle Union, and Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child.

Despite her success, Dr. Ogunleye has never forgotten her roots. Growing up without access to regular medical or dental care, she witnessed healthcare disparities firsthand. This experience fueled her commitment to giving back and helping those without access to dental care. She provides free dental screenings, cleanings, and braces to hundreds of underprivileged children and completes several pro bono smile makeovers regularly.

Her work improves the confidence and self-esteem of many individuals, changing their lives by changing their smiles. As a minority woman, business owner, wife, and mother, Dr. Ogunleye is dedicated to empowering other women through public speaking and community involvement. She embraces her identity as an African immigrant and a woman of color, viewing it as a reflection to young girls to dream big.  Her commitment to mentorship and charity is evident in her daily routine. She launched “The mentorship program impAct with Dr. A” to increase diversity in the dental field and has inspired countless women through her keynote speeches at events throughout the country.

Dr. Ogunleye believes in advocating for social justice and change, regardless of one’s profession. She exemplifies the need for professionals across all industries to step up to social responsibility and create opportunities for others. Her dedication to dentistry has earned her numerous awards in dental research and recognition from prestigious organizations, including the Washington D.C. Dental Society, the New York Dental Society, and the American Dental Association. She has been featured on NBC, Business Insider, Forbes, Black Enterprise, and the CW, and recognized by the Washington Post as a voice for minority mothers. Her accolades include being named America’s Top Dentist in Cosmetic Dentistry year after year over the last decade. Legacy Magazine honored her as one of the “50 Most Powerful Black Leaders in Business and Industry.” Dr. Ogunleye is married to retired NFL star and current Head of Sports and Entertainment at UBS, Adewale Ogunleye. The couple have a daughter and a son. Dr. Amira Ogunleye’s journey from immigrant child to renowned dentist and advocate is a testament to her hard work, dedication, and passion for making a difference in her community.

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Tell us about your success journey. What made you decide that this is the path you wanted to take?

We immigrated to this country when I was really young; I was two. Growing up, we had very little. My father worked at Popeyes and KFC. I have memories of going school- shopping at Goodwill. That was normal to us because we didn’t have much. We were three kids, and my father traveled alone with us from Egypt for a better life. He was so focused on education. He felt like that was our way to become successful. His thing was always success. “You’ve got to be successful, you’ve got to build. “My dad, Mohammed, had this American dream. You hear it so often with immigrant families who risk everything to bring their children over here in hopes of a better life. My sister is a dentist too, and we practice together. I had an older brother who passed away about nine years ago. He was so crucial in my journey; he taught me about everything in life. I also have a younger brother and a younger sister. So there are five of us. My father was very strict. He was like, “You can be a doctor, you can be a dentist, or you can be an attorney.” There was no such thing as just going to get a bachelor’s degree. I would have actually gone on to be a plastic surgeon, honestly, but I hated hospitals. Something about hospitals I couldn’t do. I was going to be a sports attorney because he gave me an attorney as an option. But when he heard the word “sports” attorney — which is funny because my husband played in the NFL for 11 years — he was like, “No, no, no. You’re not going to be a lawyer either. You’re going to dental school.” I didn’t choose it. I don’t know how spiritual you are, but I’m one of those people who feel that our steps are ordered. I went on to dental school reluctantly. And, you know, I love it. It’s such a passion.

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How did you end up choosing Howard University for your dental studies?

My father found out that the University of Florida in Gainesville had a seven-year program. So you could do three years of undergrad and four years of dental school. It’s an eight-year degree, but he said, “Okay, you can do it in seven years.” So I was like, “All right, cool. I’ll go there.” Then a month before school started, he found out that Howard University in DC had a six-year program. He was like, “Oh, my God! You’re going to be a doctor when you’re 23!” And I’m like, “That’s too young, I want to have my life, I want to experience college.” And he was like, “God damn it, you’re going to experience whatever you want when you’re 23 and you’re a doctor and you can do whatever the hell you want.” So I went to Howard. When I graduated, I was 23, I was a doctor, and I was in Miami living the good life.

What drew you to the aesthetic side of dentistry?

Dentistry is so broad. When I graduated, I started to realize I had such an eye for aesthetics in general. And it wasn’t necessarily just dentistry; even something like fashion, the aesthetics of a home. I was really into aesthetics. So I started to hone in on that in dentistry and really became passionate about it. What really changed my career and my life with dentistry was the first time I did a huge smile makeover and saw the impact it had on that person. When you’re in dental school, you go through all these years and can be so tunnel-visioned into dentistry — the teeth. But there’s a whole person behind there. When I was able to see the impact and the emotions on someone’s life, I realized this is what I want to do. This is how I wanted to impact the lives of others. All I do now is smile makeovers, like braces, veneers. I don’t do any general dentistry.

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Have you taken any courses to reach your level of expertise?

A lot of people ask me if I took courses and how I got to this level with it. I did not take courses. I’m actually hosting a course. I’ve mentored so many people over the years. I’ve probably mentored 70 women who either went on to dental school, are currently in dental school, or are actual dentists now. It was such a passion for me to do it, and I said, you know what, I’m going to do an actual course. Because I’m not going to practice forever, and I really want to give the tools for people to be able to bring this specialty to another level. There are so many advances in it. God didn’t bless me with this for me to keep it here. I need to find a way to educate more dentists and doctors on how we can change people’s lives at the highest level. That’s becoming so important to me.

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You’ve taken more of a leadership role in both your clinic and also online. Do you see yourself doing more teaching?

Yes. I have announced that I’m going to do an official aesthetic course in the spring of 2025. I’m probably going to do it annually. My goal is to train as many dentists as I can to be able to give quality care to many patients. There’s a popular dental course run by men who happen to be all Caucasian. So I think it’s also bigger than teeth and a smile. It’s about representation. It’s about showing young women who are brown and black and have thick curly hair and who may have come from immigrant families that they can build something great. It’s not just the work we’re doing; it’s the legacy of building something. Seeing a woman who’s an immigrant, who came to this country with very little and grew up very poor, not only have a career as a dentist but now building this whole aesthetic legacy, is huge. It’s important for my daughter to see and for other young women to see a woman who looks like them and see something in themselves because they saw that reflection in me. In general, less than 5% of all dentists are black. And then when you think of women of color, the ratio drops to 2% or 3%. It’s crazy when you think about that, and it’s crazy that that is not what’s common. One of my big initiatives is, how can we change the ratio?

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What inspired you to start your own company?

My sister already had a practice. When I graduated, together we had a chain. At some point, there were seven dental offices. She was the head of it all. Under her mentorship, I learned the business side of it. That’s why I always talk about it. Mentorship is so important. Mentors have an ability to see something in you that you can’t even see in yourself. I also feel it’s like passing the baton. My sister poured so much into me and taught me so much. You’re climbing and succeeding, and you’re like, “Oh my gosh, I’m doing great dentistry.” Now, all of a sudden, I’m a celebrity dentist, and I have these celebrity clients, and everyone wants to come see me. At some point, you’re like, “Hold on, where is my purpose? Is that what’s really fulfilling to me? Or are we going to look back and think, who are we lifting as we climb?” So that’s been such a huge thing for me. How can I mentor more girls, especially women of color? How can I do that as much as I can, give of myself and then ask them to do the same thing. One thing I say to all my mentees is, “I don’t ask for anything in return except you have to do the same for someone else. You have to reach back and lift someone up. You have to pour into someone else.” Because this is how we level the playing field.

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What challenges have you faced as a woman in your field?

Women are not respected the same at all. Unfortunately, this is true everywhere. The patients who come in, when you’re a male doctor and you tell them something, they tend to respect it more. And this applies to both men and women patients. I’ve always felt like we’ve got to show up 10 times better, 10 times smarter, more articulate. When you add being a woman of color to it, there’s even more pressure to prove yourself. Our male counterparts don’t have that same pressure. That has been challenging early in my career, but I always say that excellence is the best response to sexism. Be so excellent at what you do that if somebody wants what you have, they must come to you to get it. As I started to let excellence drive me, everything became about being the best, not for competitive rights but because I wanted to impact lives. When I started to do that, my work spoke for itself. And I also became more comfortable sitting in my authentic self. Early on, I felt I needed to fit into a specific image of what a doctor or dentist looked like. But once I was performing at the highest level, I began to embrace my true self, not just for me, but for other dentists coming up. It was liberating and empowering.

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What would you want to see more of in the industry?

Diversity. I want to see more people who reflect the world in this industry. It’s a competitive and challenging field. That’s why I celebrate so hard when I see other minority dentists achieving greatness because it’s not common. There’s a lot of racial bias that exists. I’m passionate about changing the ratio, getting more young girls who look like us to see themselves in different spaces and levels, especially at the top. I’ve always felt that women have always been powerful. I love that it’s a new trend for women to be vocal about being powerful. I’m not going to apologize for my confidence. It’s unfortunate that my confidence and security offend some people’s insecurities. But being firm and assertive about what I believe in and having boundaries is important. Women have the ability to empathize, nurture, and multitask, which makes us powerful.

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How do you balance your professional and personal life?

Balancing my career with my roles as a wife and mother is an ongoing challenge. Social media shows the highlight reels, but the truth is we can have it all, but not all at the same time. There was a time when my career took precedence, and I didn’t have time for children. And there was a time when I had kids, and my career took a hit. Grace is the keyword. You cannot do everything at a high level all at once. Society expects women to work as if we don’t have families and to care for our families as if we don’t work. It’s an unrealistic expectation. There are times where I’m hanging by a thread, looking like a disaster, yet appearing perfect on social media. Real life is messy, and that’s okay.

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What advice would you give to your younger self reflecting back on your journey?

I would tell her that her differences — the way she looks, her upbringing, where she came from — make her a rare gem and a commodity. Not to be so hard on herself for not being like everyone else. One day, her uniqueness will make her shine. I would tell her to know her worth and to set boundaries. If you don’t know your worth, someone else will tell you your worth, and it’s not going to be what you deserve. Lastly, I would tell her that any vision that God has put in her mind is for a reason. She must pursue it persistently because there’s a purpose behind it.

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What are your principles to live by when it comes to family, friends, food, business, and life?

For family, commitment is key. We are a team, and we support each other. For friends, I value supportive friendships with no envy or competition. Collaboration over competition any day. For food, clean eating is a principle I now live by. I refuse to consume fast or processed food. For business, excellence is the standard. Be so excellent that if somebody wants what you have, they have to come to you to get it. For life, it’s about finding true purpose, peace, and happiness. It’s about impacting lives and allowing God to work through me to help others.

Do you have any last words to share with our audience?

I believe prayer is essential. I pray for my kids every single night before they go to bed. It’s critical for my life, my family, my marriage, my business, and my friendships. It really makes a difference.

What is next on the horizon for you?

I’m launching a dental aesthetics course in 2025, which is a huge deal because there’s not one of its kind that exists, and it’s run by a woman dentist. I see myself doing more women empowerment, whether through summits or conferences. I believe God has given me a voice that can impact women’s self-esteem and confidence.

Do you believe in manifestation?

Absolutely. I always say to my mentees, “Speak what you seek until you see what you said.” You have to believe in yourself because no one will believe in you as much as you will.

 Dr. Amira Ogunleye’s story is a powerful example of determination, hard work, and a commitment to giving back. She continues to inspire and empower others through her work, mentorship, and advocacy for diversity and social justice. Her journey is a testament to the impact one individual can have on the world, and she remains dedicated to using her platform to create positive change.

All Photography by Christelle Eloi

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“I’ve always felt I don’t want to shine so that other people can see me shine, I want to shine so that other people can see themselves.”

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